Proper cable management is necessary to ensure satisfactory performance of CATV systems. Because cable used in the CATV industry is sensitive to bend radius, excessive bending of the cable can lead to degraded performance, and in the case of fiber optic cable, even breakage. In addition, stresses associated with the movement of cable can damage CATV systems and degrade performance. For example, pulling forces on a cable may disconnect or damage cable connections and devices.
The importance of controlling cable movement and bend radius has only increased as more sophisticated devices which require ever tighter connection tolerances are employed in CATV systems. For example, in the case of sophisticated transmitters and receivers, such as the GS7000 from Scientific-Atlanta, the bend radius between a laser or photodiode needs to be tightly controlled to ensure good performance.
Further complicating cable management in CATV systems is the increasing use of moving parts in the vicinity of cables. For example, a CATV node, such as Scientific-Atlanta's Gainmaker® or 1 GHz node, may be enclosed in a housing having movable access trays. It is difficult to maintain a consistent bend radius and restrain cable during the opening and closing of the access trays and this movement can lead to the unintended pinching or bending of the cable which can degrade performance and/or cause permanent damage. What is needed is a means to provide for proper restraint and bend radius of CATV cable.